J.J. Meddaugh

Nickname?: Jage or apparently mudbug

Date of Birth: April 30, 1980

Location: Kalamazoo, MI

Visual Classification: B1

Team(s) You Play For: Michigan Spitfire primarily, have played with the now-defunct Michigan Hurricanes and on the Michigan Striders youth team

Position(s) You Play: center, but can do em all

Introduced/Started Playing: I first played goalball in a gym class in 2nd grade, so about 1987. The problem I remember with this was that each end of the court was divided into three equal boxes with taped lines on all four sides (think tic tac toe with no middle row). So the court wasn't quite right, but it was my first experience. Soon after, local practices were set up in the Saginaw area and I went to Sports Camp in 1990. That year, I also played on a team in the first state high school tournament, the only one held in Kalamazoo that I know of. My first adult tournament was Kalamazoo in 1995.

Awards/Achievements: I have several medals, plaques, trophies, and a shot glass from placing in various tournaments. The Michigan Spitfire won Kalamazoo in 2000. I also was on the Michigan youth team that went to Florida three times and received what is now called the Spirit Award at Sports Camp for my involvement in mainstream sports such as track and downhill skiing.

Most Memorable Goalball Experience(s): I'd been on a lot of winning teams, but when we won the Utah tournament in 2003, it was extra special to me because the three of us (me, Joe Hamilton, Carl Love) played every minute of the tournament and we got this huge 3-foot tall trophy for winning. That was the first time I had played center for a tournament and won, and the guys let me keep the trophy.

Most Embarrassing Goalball Experience: There's a few on-the-court blunders that stick out. There was a Montreal tournament that I played for the Pennsylvania Vultures as a pool player. The score was tied at 0 at half-time and I was brought in at left wing. The very first throw of the second half, I threw a high ball. The penalty scored and we lost 1 to 0. This wouldn't have been as bad except for the fact that it was against the Spitfire.

Reason You Play: It's a combination of fun and the quest for a national championship. If you don't have fun playing, you shouldn't play. While there are certainly times where you should be serious, if you take the fun out of the sport, it just becomes a job. And since we aren't getting paid, I play foremost because it's fun.

Comments: I've been playing goalball in some form before some of my teammates were even born. It's fun to see the sport evolve, and I hope that there will be many more teams to beat up on, ur, play against in the future.